Thomas Markle Sr. Detained at Florida Senior Living Facility

Thomas Markle Sr., the estranged father of Meghan Markle, was arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation on Friday in Lakeland, Florida. Law enforcement sources told the Associated Press that the detention occurred near Tampa. TMZ reported that he was taken into custody at a senior living facility. The charges involve the possession of child sexual abuse material.

The arrest follows a period of intense scrutiny on Markle Sr. in multiple countries. According to reports from TMZ, the Daily Mail, and other outlets, investigators in the Philippines and Mexico examined locations tied to him. In Mexico, authorities seized a storage unit containing his belongings during a search for alleged child sexual abuse material. A photo from November 1, 2026, shows people walking near the storage facility where the seizure took place.

Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, addressed the situation in a statement to FOX News last week. She described the allegations as deeply disturbing. "I am deeply distressed at the news that has come to light in the last 24 hours, and my thoughts are with any children who may have been harmed," she said. She noted that a letter was sent to the Metropolitan Police and Royalty and Specialist Protection in 2018. That letter was later shared with her and contained troubling allegations against her father.

The Duchess explained that she was given assurances at the time that the allegations were under investigation. She stated that her decision to limit contact with her father was made to protect her children. "I trusted that the authorities were doing the same for other families," she said. She added that the scope of what has been uncovered is more sickening than one could ever imagine.

Her statement concluded with a hope for justice and a focus on the safety of innocent children. FOX 13 has reached out to the FBI in Florida for additional information regarding the arrest. No further details have been released as of Friday. The case remains active in the U.S. legal system.